Field
This disclosure relates generally to data processing systems, and more specifically, to data processing systems with temperature monitoring for security.
Related Art
System on Chip (SoC) manufacturers typically guarantee proper operation within a specified temperature range. Outside this temperature range, the SoC may no longer operate correctly and may be susceptible to hackers. For example, if the temperature of an SoC is lowered to be lower than the operating temperature range, the contents of the memory may be accessed by unsecure software since device operation is not guaranteed in that range. Therefore, SoCs may include temperature monitors which indicate when a temperature of the SoC has reached a temperature outside of the specified temperature range. If the temperature has reached a lower or higher temperature than the specified range, a signal is generated which may be used to indicate that the SoC was possibly hacked. However, the temperature ranges provided by a manufacturer are typically fixed and they may therefore not be suitable for a customer's needs. If the ranges are incorrect, the signal may not provide an effective way to indicate a possible hacking of the SoC. For example, the signal may provide too many false positives. Therefore, a need exists for improved temperature-based tamper detection.